No War, No Slavery
by Teyerin
Summary: Just a random Jack and Mike debrief.


No War, No Slavery

Disclaimer: Don't own anything from LO, or the other film references for that matter.

It should be noted that this is the result of having watched "Pandaemonium," shortly after watching "Chattel" and flipping past a few other 'items.' No particular plot accidental or otherwise - just a couple of people having a conversation.

"Words, Jack. Get a crowd riled up enough and anything can happen."

Michael Cutter paced about his office, baseball bat bouncing off his shoulder, mind racing on a summation to give regarding the current case that held too many shades of grey from the Johnson case, unable to shake the image of the young boy being led away in chains.

"No war, no slavery."

Jack sat up then leaned forward. "Come again?"

"No war, no slavery. To declare war on France-."

"Was to declare war on freedom itself," Jack said. "Samuel Coleridge. There's a man who led a revolution with words."

Mike nodded. "Pity he drowned in an opium-induced ocean of madness."

Jack gave him a wry smile. "At least Coleridge's words live on. Better than someone like Jordan Manmouth - where the man's sole purpose was to scare people to death- including himself, some say."

"Guns, troops…" Mike couldn't help but ponder Cyrus Lupo's description of Haiti and other dark corners of the world. "There are times I feel powerless against it."

"There's always 'truth,' Michael. Nothing can tarnish that, bury it, distort it completely."

Mike shook his head. "But the press can only create pressure for so long. At some point-."

"At some point, a reaction will arise - be it one for change, one for continuance or one of nothingness." Jack leaned back again, arms folded. "Sydney Schanberg and Dith Pran. Did Schanberg give up when he lost his friend, Pran, on the other side of that disparaging wall? It took years, but at some point, fate, faith, fortune took hold, providing a way."

"The oppressed aren't always so fortunate, Jack. Look at the…the damn massacres that happen from time to time - in schools, hospitals, everyday places where one who assume, believe, expect to be safe?"

"You could always wish that it was 'now and here' that remained a constant happiness, Mike. But that will never be, anymore than you could live out your life forever at a fixed age in time. Change is constant; conflict's constant…Chaos-."

"Chaos is madness with or without government hands helping," Mike finished, annoyed, tired, frustrated and hungry. "Want to find a good steak house?"

---

"Do you think there will ever come a time when there will be no newspapers, Jack?"

Jack shrugged. "Seeing as how many folks of your generation and younger use those gadgets you like so much…there's always that fear. Look at Denver, Seattle, Boston."

Mike looked at the blackberry sitting on the side of the table, tempted to make a smart-aleck remark then thought better of it. "What if there was no 'power of the press,' though? What do you think would-?"

Jack shook his head with a slight chuckle. "As much as some formats of music have been deemed obsolete, I somehow doubt that the newspaper would vanish completely. Not everyone has an electronic hook-up of one kind or another. Not everything can come in 'crystal clear' in pixels and megabytes. Sometimes, the printed page _can_ capture-"

"Personal stories and memories of the heart," Mike finished. How often had he needed to 'be reminded' of that when giving closing arguments still? "What I don't get, however, is…"

He sighed, finding it ironic that he was at a loss for words _about_ words.

"Michael, be thankful you've grown up in a time where students didn't have to forsake their learning to have their voices heard on behalf of peers their age spilling their blood. You've a right to…howl at the wind and gain an audience without being stoned to death."

"Now, just about any fool, who could impersonate someone stoned, can babble nonsense and sway other fools accept it as fact." Mike sawed the knife roughly through his steak. "So long as they _look_ respectable, reliable, then it _must_ be real."

Jack took a sip of his drink. Makes you wonder who gets hired to be the spokespeople for various organizations, doesn't it? Do people help because of the cause or do they help because of the 'casting?'"

Mike thought about it. "I remember a friend of mine who went to a banquet to honor the father's work. Someone had broken past the security guards and put a starving child 'on display.' My friend's wife immediately decided that night to follow the brazen fellow and travel half-way around the world to 'make a difference.'"

"Sounds like your friend didn't care to kindly for that," Jack noticed.

"Not initially. Thing is, before her death, after-even, there are some folks who've signed up because she looks so pretty. That was the outward appearance at least." Mike paused, surprised that he was revealing a telling detail of his friend's failed marriage. "Inwardly…it was as if she thought good works would erase all the bad decisions she made during their marriage."

Jack studied Mike a moment or two longer. "Is that one of the reasons why you've sworn off marriage again, Mike? Because of what's happened to those around you?"

"No," Mike said before motioning for another pitcher. "I believe I've made more than enough mistakes to never repeat another 'wedded war' until the end of time. If marriage is supposed to be 'heaven on earth' someone pointed me in the wrong direction."

Jack laughed. "Well, perhaps you've not found the ideal partner. You've time yet."

"And what? Be a slave to impossible ideals or enslave a creative, loving soul to this madman of a prosecutor?"

"Remind me not to introduce you to my niece," Jack said dryly. "How is it you've managed to reach the pinnacle of cynicism and such a young age? There's a great deal of-."

"There's a great deal of reasons why one _hasn't_ become cynical sooner, Jack. Honestly, why are you still here? Why are you still in the office hoping to tilt at one final windmill or two before-?"

Jack held up a hand, aware of how close the reference to Judge Reynolds was. "I'd like to believe it's because I can still make a difference, that's why."

He picked up the check before the other man could reach for it. "Whether or not ones words or actions outlive one's existence, Mike - that's one for the philosophers and history book writers. To keep from aging well before one's time, being mindful of the _present_ is key; while hopefully not repeating mistakes of the past."

Michael's smile finally revealed his youth. "There might be hope for the future, yet, Jack."

(fin)


End file.
